Historic YWCA Building to Host Spring Art Crawl Following Five-Year Restoration Effort

MASON CITY — A once-condemned downtown Mason City landmark will welcome the public once again this weekend as the Historic YWCA Building hosts Spring Art Crawl 2026 on Saturday, May 9.

The free event, organized by Yes! We Create Art Gallery, will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Historic YWCA Building, located at 2 S. Adams Ave. in downtown Mason City. Organizers say the event celebrates not only regional artists, but also the years-long grassroots effort to restore the historic structure.

The building, which had sat vacant for nearly a decade, was reportedly close to demolition when co-founders Elisha Marin and Susanne Crane acquired the property. According to organizers, the structure lacked heat and plumbing and contained more than 50 partition walls that had divided the original interior into small rooms.

Over the last five years, volunteers, contractors, local businesses, and community partners worked to restore the building while preserving its historic character. Organizers credited contributors including Southern Minnesota Electric, Pike HVACR, River City Dump Trailer Rentals, Jane Fischer and Associates, the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and numerous volunteers.

The restoration effort also faced major setbacks, including the theft of nearly $40,000 worth of copper piping after what organizers described as a contractor betrayal. Pike HVACR later helped overhaul the boiler system and install new plumbing to prevent the building from freezing during the project.

Marin and Crane said the restoration was inspired by the legacy of the women who originally established the YWCA, including Mason City suffragists Lydia Barrett and May MacNider, along with nationally recognized activist Carrie Chapman Catt. Organizers noted that details such as recreated 1918 millwork and restored tin ceilings were chosen to honor the building’s history.

The Spring Art Crawl will feature artists from across Iowa, Minnesota, and beyond, with works ranging from photography and painting to textiles, fused glass, and wood assemblage. Featured artists include Carole Wilson, Andrea Blackmon, Macy Taylor, Shane Taylor, Kellilynn Robitaille, Christina Harp, Susanne Crane, and Kathy Weed.

A building tour is scheduled for 3 p.m., giving attendees a chance to hear more about the restoration project and future plans for the space. Live music featuring Elisha Marin & The Page Turners will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Principal Pavilion.

Additional activities throughout the day will include food trucks, family activities, and an on-site massage therapy pop-up. Organizers said several arts and wellness studio spaces inside the building will soon become available for lease, along with a restored office suite featuring original woodwork and windows on three sides.

“Susanne and I have poured our hearts into this restoration project over the last five years,” Marin said in a statement. “We invite the community to come see the progress at State and Adams, downtown Mason City. Let’s celebrate together.”

More information about the event and restoration project can be found at SaveTheY.org.